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Hawks Advance To AMCC Semis

HAMBURG, NY – In an emotionally and physically charged first round of AMCC playoffs, the Hilbert College men’s basketball team surged past cross-town rival D’Youville College 92-72 on February 21. This is the third time in the 2011-2012 season that the Hawks faced the Spartans, each claiming a victory before heading into tonight’s deciding game. The win for the Hawks (15-11) marks the fourth time the men of Hilbert have advanced to the AMCC semi-finals. In a record-breaking year for Hilbert, 15 wins is the most by any Hilbert team ever since joining the AMCC.

Hilbert’s Chris Parrott{in photo to right} started off the scoring for the game with a jumper just seconds after the tip-off. Both teams would battle back-and-forth until a tip-in by D’Youville’s Patrick Coyle tied the game up at 2-2 early in the first half. Dan McFarland answered right back for the Hawks, and they would hold onto the lead for the remainder of the game.

Hilbert shot the lights out, shooting 56.5% from the floor for the game and commanded the glass, out-rebounding the Spartans 45-33. The Hawks also recorded 23 assists as a team, with CJ Hodge leading with seven.

Four Hawks finished in double digits, with Parrott also recording a double-double having 19 points and 11 rebounds. McFarland finished the game with 19 points and nine rebounds and Jordan VanDunk also tallied 19 points. Anthony Hodge chipped in with 16 points and four assists.

D’Youville also massed a balance scoring attack out of their roster, with Jeff Curry leading all scorers with 25 points, and Raysean Johnson following with 24 points and seven rebounds. Patrick Coyle added a double-double of his own, amassing 11 points and 13 rebounds and four blocks (ranked 2nd nationally in blocks per game).

Hilbert College will continue on in AMCC play, when they will travel to Medaille on Friday, February 24 to play the number one seeded Mavericks (23-2, 17-1) at 5:30pm. The Hawks have faced the Mavericks twice already this season, losing both times (85-60, 80-63).

In the other semifinal game (8pm) number three seeded Penn State Behrend (a 65-39 winner over Bradford tonight) will take on the number two seeded La Roche College. The championship game is set to be played on Saturday, February 25 at 3pm.

Hilbert College, located in suburban Hamburg, N.Y., south of Buffalo, is a private four-year college founded in 1957 in the Catholic Franciscan tradition. With nearly 1,100 students, Hilbert is a dynamic Western New York college that offers career-focused majors, including one of the top criminal justice programs in the region, and more than 50 minors and concentrations. The college’s engaging, student-centered campus community offers numerous leadership, internship, and service learning opportunities from which students launch successful careers while making positive changes in their communities. The Hilbert Blueprint promotes a well-rounded student experience over four years – starting with the Foundations Seminar in the freshman year, followed by Sophomore Service, Junior Symposium, and culminating with the Senior Capstone. Hilbert has expanded its academic offerings with the college’s first graduate programs and new Accelerated Degree Programs geared to adult learners.